Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Roasted tomatoes filled with rice (and a side of sliced roasted potatoes)

You are like me, and right now you are thinking “oh, come on, how much flavor can come from a tomato and some Arborio rice and herbs and breadcrumbs?”

LOTS. Oh, trust me, LOTS. You will want to eat the whole pan, including the roast potato slices, which are crispy and salty on the outside, and melty soft on the inside.

Meanwhile, the tomatoes have roasted until their skins split, and you’ve got this delicious, creamy herbed risotto inside, topped with crispy breadcrumbs.

So go now, and make this recipe. I made a couple of changes, and I’ll only tell you about the ones I recommend you make as well.

First, I season the potato slices pre-bake with chili powder, as well as salt and pepper. I like the extra flavor and kick.

Second, I definitely suggest you deglaze the toasted risotto and onion pan with 1/3 cup of red wine, and leave out the 1/3 cup of water the recipe calls for. Wine deepens the flavor of any dish, so deglaze with it as often as possible, is my advice!

Third, I seasoned my breadcrumbs (which are from homemade whole wheat bread I keep in the freezer) with garlic salt, herbs, and truffle oil. Because seasoning each ingredient of every layer in a dish is the key to the most flavorful end result!

large bodies of water, particularly the ocean, and everything that goes with it: the endless shades of blue and green and grey and white, the sounds of waves and seagulls, its expansiveness, its restorative nature.